1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to storage devices, and, more specifically, to a cord storage device which is compact, offers a quick retrieve, and which can be floated to any location along an unreeled cord.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, cords have been used in a wide variety of applications. Such cords included electrical cords, air hoses, water hoses, safety lines, and others. Since the cords were relatively light-weight, they were commonly used to provide mobility for the connected devices. Cords also presented a management problem, in that a tangle of the loose length of cord typically ensued whenever the cord was less than fully extended. The tangle of loose cord was always an inconvenience, and was often a safety problem. While it was possible to manually coil the cord into loops, the manual coiling operation was slow and also inconvenient.
To deal with the problems resulting from loose cord lying about, cord reels were developed. In the past, such cord reel devices typically used a rotary spool or drum to store the cord. By pulling onto the ends, the cord could be unwound from the reel as the spool rotated. A drive mechanism was connected to the spool, allowing the cord to be reeled back onto the spool when desired. The drive mechanism was often an anchored spring attached to the spool. Manual or power drives were also employed.
However, conventional cord reels retained several problems. With a drum-type reel, and with a cord of the type used to convey matter or energy, it was necessary to employ a rotary connection in the flow path. The rotary connection fed the matter or energy into the centrally located, rotating spool. Typical examples of such connections included slip ring assemblies for conducting electricity and universal-joint pipe connections for conveying water or air. The rotary connection was expensive, and being a mechanical device, required maintenance. A need existed for a cord reel which did not require a rotary connection to conduct matter or energy through the cord and through the reel.